Course Content. Module 1

As already described, among the numerous ethical considerations and risks related to health and well-being, perhaps one of the biggest ones is linked to impoverished interactions between people. If you have ever been talking to a friend who has pulled their phone out to scroll through Instagram or Facebook, you might have wondered what social media is doing to relationships and human interactions. Even the mere presence of a phone can interfere with our interactions, particularly when we are talking about something meaningful. On the other hand, the increasing number of fake profiles on social media platforms have caused users to feel distrust, suspicion or anxiety when interacting with others online, having a negative effect on the quality and the depth of their interactions.

 Another ethical consideration related to the use of digital tools and platforms involves the progressively reduced “field of vision” imposed by the filter bubble search engines build around a person through profiling. This limits the development of openness to cultural diversity and the capacity to engage with other beliefs and worldviews. Radicalization can be one of the side effects, if a young person has not developed sufficient analytical and critical thinking skills. In fact, “violent radicalization and extremism are a threat to security, the sense of security, people’s wellbeing and the sense of participation, democracy as well as human and fundamental rights”^[1].

Self-esteem is another aspect to be taken into consideration. Social media is, to a large extent, built on the selfie trend to take and upload photos of ourselves and our activities, anywhere and at any time. This erodes an individual’s knowledge and understanding of self. By portraying ourselves to get a maximum number of likes, “real” lives are tweaked according to popular ideals and trends, diversity is reduced and, rather than shaping the internet, society becomes shaped by it.